1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector and more particularly to such an electrical connector with improved electrical connection and structural strength characteristics.
2. Description of Prior Art
Conventionally, an electrical connector is joined to a printed circuit board (PCB) by soldering. Typically, melted solder tends to flow into the connector along pins. As a result, electrical connection characteristics of the connector are adversely affected. With respect to currently popular surface mounting technology (SMT) employed in joining an electrical connector to a PCB, a sticky solder is first applied onto each of a plurality of predetermined positions on PCB. The terminals and attachment brackets of electrical connector are bent and attached to the predetermined positions, thus the initially fixing of the electrical connector is achieved by the adhesiveness of solder. Next, heat the solder until melted while applying soldering paste. After solder""s cooling off, the electrical connector is affixed onto POB. However, melted solder tends to flow into the electrical connector and further onto PCT along pins. As a result, electrical connection of plugging and unplugging characteristics of the electrical connector are adversely affected.
Moreover, for enhancing the structural strength of the connector to withstand plugging and unplugging, in the attachment section of an electrical connector an insulative housing is wrapped by a metal shell. In addition, the metal shell forms an attachment opening in the front projected portion of the electrical connector so as to increase the length and area of the attachment section. The positioning pegs under the insulative housing usually limit the bottom flange of the attachment opening, however, the attachment opening is bent for facilitating a fastening. Thus, no sufficient support from metal shell is available, i.e., the structural strength is weak. This tends to damage the metal attachment opening portion, resulting in a shortening of useful life.
Thus, it is desirable to provide an electrical connector having good electrical connection characteristics and an enhanced structural strength of withstanding plug or unplugging of the connector in order to overcome the above drawbacks of prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector having a construction capable of effectively preventing melted solder from flowing into the electrical connector along attachment brackets during a process of joining to PCB. By utilizing this electrical connector, electrical connection characteristics thereof are well maintained.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector wherein connection cavity thereof is sufficiently supported so as to enhance a structural strength of the electrical connector as well as prolong a useful life thereof.
To achieve the above and other objects, the present invention provides an electrical connector comprising an insulative housing including a connection end, an opposite end, two side walls, a bottom plate, a wing projected from either side wall, a terminal seat formed in the opposite end being spaced from the bottom plate for forming a space, a terminal receiving cavity for receiving terminal assembly formed in the space being extended through the housing, two protection shoulders being extended from the bottom plate toward the opposite end perpendicular to the side walls, and a recess confined by the protection shoulders on an underside of the terminal seat; a metal shell which wraps around the body and includes two side walls, a top plate, and first and second mating protrusions extended downward from both side walls of the housing respectively prior to being bent toward each other for forming a connection cavity and a coplanar engaged bottom piece in the recess for enhancing a structural strength of the connection cavity and prolonging a useful life of the connector; and a terminal assembly including a plurality of terminals received in the terminal receiving cavity.
Moreover, the first mating protrusion comprises a first protuberance and a projection and the second mating protrusion comprises a second protuberance and a dent so that the projection and the dent are matingly engaged together and the protuberances are engaged for being coplanar in the recess in response to the bending of the protrusions. Hence, bottom piece, connection cavity, and the protection shoulders are coplanar with the bottom plate so as to enhance a structural strength of connection cavity.
In addition, the provision of protection shoulders which are coplanar and extended from bottom plate toward opposite end enables an effective prevention melted solder from flowing into the electrical connector along attachment brackets during soldering, thereby maintaining good electrical characteristics of electrical connector.
Additionally, there are further provided a rear cover in the top plate opposite to the protrusions and two downward latched tabs extended from both ends of the rear cover so that when the rear cover is bent toward the connection end to engage the slots with the latched members, the connection end is substantially enclosed.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.